Clear the air for children: The impact of air pollution on children : UNICEF Report

“…It causes miscarriages, early delivery, and low birth weight. It contributes to diseases that account for almost 1 in 10 of all deaths of children under the age of five. It can harm the healthy development of children’s brains. It is a drag on economies and societies, already costing as much as 0.3 per cent of global GDP – and rising. And in many parts of the world, it is getting worse. ‘It’ is air pollution. And as both this litany and this report show, the magnitude of the danger it poses – especially to young children – is enormous….”“The impact is commensurately shocking. Every year, nearly 600,000 children under the age of five die from diseases caused or exacerbated by the effects of indoor and outdoor air pollution. Millions more suffer from respiratory diseases that diminish their resilience and affect their physical and cognitive development.” Anthony Lake, Executive Director, UNICEF

This October 2016 UNICEF Report on the damage of toxic air quality on the health of children provides details of the unique vulnerabilities of children, “due both to their physiology as well as to the type and degree of their exposure.” According to the Report’s Executive Summary

“Around 300 million children currently live in areas where the air is toxic – exceeding international limits by at least six times.

Poor children are among the most at risk

The benefits of reducing air pollution extend well beyond child health – actions and investments that reduce air pollution can also help grow economies and combat climate change.

Protecting children from air pollution requires actions to reduce air pollution, reduce children’s exposure to it and better monitor it.”